It was a case that caught the attention of the nation. A young white woman, Gabby Petito, was reported missing in September after going on a road trip with her fiance. A coroner ultimately ruled the 22-year-old died by strangulation. According to the Centers for Missing and Exploited Children, more than 50 Black girls are missing from New York and New Jersey as of May.
How does race impact the attention — or lack of attention — paid to individual missing persons’ cases? “I don’t think Black women are calling for less media coverage in this instance. We just want Black women and women of color to be acknowledged and brought to the awareness at the same rate as white women,” said Chenelle Jones, chair of public safety programs at Franklin University, Ohio.
